Artistic Director, Lily Cai draws from her Chinese heritage to create dances of power and grace, exploring the beauty and inner strength of the Chinese woman from the distant past to the present. Expertly performed by the Lily Cai dancers, each Concert program offers contrasting views of Chinese culture, evoking the movement and sensibility of ancient dynasties, regional minorities, and complex modern times.

Melding ancient Chinese forms with modern dance in an artistic and inventive marriage of styles, the Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company “… features timeless elements which often surprise audiences by their fresh, contemporary look at everything from romance to the exuberant spectacle of the Chinese ribbon dance.” (Center for the Arts)

The San-Francisco-based company offers several different touring programs for theaters, festivals, and special events. Residency options include in-theater and in-school educational performances, community outreach, master classes, workshops, and extended residencies for university dance programs. Director Lily Cai also conducts extended residencies for professional dance companies, with classes in her unique training method drawn from the Chinese concept of qi or energy flow.